Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
 ·Cox HSI
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
2 edits | It's good but not great
I picked up a refurbed Apple TV (which Apple ended up sending a new one I guess because of low refurbed stock) simply because of the limited library available from Microsoft (over the X360).
But for the majority of people I think it's still too expensive just to rent or buy movies. People will continue sticking with Blockbuster. As popular as sites like YouTube are, they aren't "mainstream" the way Blockbuster type rental stores are mainstream. IOW, I doubt anyone is buying ATV to play YouTube on their TV set.
For ATV to take off I think they'll need some DVR functionality which to have any success would mean going to CableLabs for CableCard hardware certification. And even then you're just getting on par with hardware already in existence (HD TiVo, the motorola boxes, etc).
Then there's the issue of providers cracking down on bandwidth.
»bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/1···chnology
The movie rentals addition was a good feature, but I don't think it's enough to make AppleTV a "hit". |
|
Mike
Premium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA
clubs:   | What's so hard about 1080i?
720p = no thanks. |
|
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
3 edits | said by Mike  :What's so hard about 1080i? 720p = no thanks. Bandwidth and video horsepower required to run it.
1280x720P is only 4-5GB for a flick and easier to process than 1440 or 1920x1080i. As compression technology improves so that movie sizes can come down, I'm sure we'll see future ATV type devices doing 1080i or even 1080P. |
|
RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| said by Dogfather :I'm sure we'll see future ATV type devices doing 1080i or even 1080P. There already here. It's called TiVo. Apple is way late to this game. My Series 3 HD can rent movies from Amazon. What is Apple bringing to the table?
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
|
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
4 edits | I was unaware that Unbox movies were 1080i. I thought they were all MPEG2 SD "DVD quality" movies and there were no titles available in HD resolutions.
If Amazon doesn't offer HD titles, the only thing Apple TV is bringing that TiVo+Unbox isn't is what Microsoft already does, 720P HD rentals.
Meanwhile it's a WAY smaller step for TiVo+Amazon to offer 720P than it is for Apple to add something like CableCard support and DVR functions that TiVo already has for less than $100 more than ATV. |
|
RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| The question was about 1080i/p equipment. TiVo can do that right now, and does. The content will come. You think Amazon doesn't have the resources to do that?
The Apple TV and XBOX are not DVRs, either. Apple needs to get on the ball and add that functionality (it's not that hard, but will require additional hardware) if they expect it to grow. Currently it's the bastard stepchild of the product line.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. |
|
Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
·Comcast
| reply to Mike
»support.apple.com/specs/appletv/···_TV.html
•H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps) in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
•iTunes Store purchased video: 320 by 240 pixels, 640 by 480 pixels, 720 by 480 pixels (anamorphic), or high-definition 720p.
•MPEG-4: Up to 3 Mbps, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 720 by 432 pixels at 30 fps) in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
TV compatibility
•Compatible with enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen TVs capable of 1080p/1080i 60/50Hz, 720p 60/50Hz, 576p 50Hz (PAL format), or 480p 60Hz, including popular models from these manufacturers: HP, Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Olevia, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Polaroid, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse. |
|
stufried
Premium
join:2003-10-13
 ·Verizon BroadbandA..
|  Open Access Please
My concern with the box is that you are locking into Apple and really only Apple. Why doesn't this have a basic browser? What if I want to play something for free from Joost, or stream a movie from Netflix.
My currently solution is that I have an old notebook in my entertainment center with an IR link to a small wireles keyboard with trackball, and IR presenters remote. I keep the keyboard hidden in the drawer most of the time.
As TV streaming is arrive, everyone wants to lock us into a walled garden. I'd love to see something that worked like the Apple TV but which is wide open. |
|
GilbertMark
Premium
join:2001-05-02
Gilbert, AZ
·Cox HSI
| ugh
" As popular as sites like YouTube are, they aren't "mainstream" the way Blockbuster type rental stores are mainstream."
Oh my God. YouTube does NOT show movies. It shows crappy quality home videos of the dumbest things imaginable generally speaking. That is when it's not being loaded up with every R&B video out there from people who don't realize that BET already exists.
If you want a library, consider Netflix, or dare I say, buy some DVDs.
$229 just to buy access to content? I'll stick with Netflix where I don't have to buy hardware. Most people already have cable in their house, why not just use pay per view?
--
»hackThatPhone.com |
|
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
4 edits | I'm not going to spend $10-$20 for a SD DVD or $20-$30 for a BRD or HD-DVD disc I'll watch once.
I want an HD VOD catalog and Time Warner's is very limited as is Microsoft's. If you are an E* subscriber, VOD of any type is non-existent. That's why I opted for one but as I mention in my post, I will be one of a few for the reasons I mentioned.
I never said or meant YouTube rents big-screen studio movies like Blockbuster, I said it isn't mainstream like Blockbuster. No one is buying an AppleTV for YouTube because few people give a crap about YouTube. The only alternatives, I already have which are cable VOD and Microsoft X360 rentals both have very limited libraries, especially in HD.
I would consider Netflix if they didn't throttle rentals while having an on-demand library that looks like the playlist from a UHF channel at 1AM. I don't want to wait and can't predict what I'll feel like watching 4 days from today. The way I watch movies is I get a hair in my ass to watch a particular type of movie (Sci-Fi, Horror, comedy etc) and want to just watch it right then. For that AppleTV is a good choice and for me worth the $199 refurbished. |
|
cubs4eva
Premium
join:2004-04-29
Aurora, IL | I agree....the main selling point for the Apple right now is the size of the library of movies you will be able to rent. I like the 360 rentals, there just aren't enough of them. |
|
Pictor Guy
join:2004-06-21
Sammamish, WA
| reply to Mike
Re: It's good but not great
said by Mike :What's so hard about 1080i? 720p = no thanks. You do realize that most TVs today (even 1080p sets) can't really display more than about 800 lines of resolution well? I'm all for 1080p and even have adopted Blu-Ray early because of the higher resolution of the format but for downloadable rentals I think 720p is a good compromise for the next few years. |
|
Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
·Cox HSI
·Verizon FIOS
·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
1 edit | reply to RadioDoc
The question wasn't about equipment, it was about why Apple is only doing 720P content (even for non-ATV devices) and so far Amazon doesn't rent HD content. Resources and will are two different things. They certainly have the resources, but with so many SD TiVo boxes in the installed base compared to HD boxes, they likely aren't compelled to expedite HD rentals.
But everything else you mention I agree with. ATV won't be successful without something substantially more than VOD rentals and xfers |
|
odreian615
join:2006-01-18
Chicago, IL | Old saying
You could put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig |
|
AVonGauss
Premium,MVM
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL | reply to Pictor Guy
Re: It's good but not great
I think you mean 1080i... A 1080p set has a native resolution of at least 1920x1080, otherwise it's not a 1080p set...  |
|
Count Zero
MD2Be
Premium
join:2007-01-18
Warner Robins, GA
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| reply to Mike
Until this year I don't think 1080p was 'the norm' and I'm not sure that's still the case. The 55" Sony LCD I bought last year only does 720p - I think most LCDs and plasma from the last several years (excepting of course the very high end ones) only do 720p. Looks good enough to me after 20+ years of 480i TV... |
|
Count Zero
MD2Be
Premium
join:2007-01-18
Warner Robins, GA | reply to odreian615
Re: Old saying
Except in Arkansas and Alabama |
|
Pictor Guy
join:2004-06-21
Sammamish, WA
| reply to AVonGauss
Re: It's good but not great
I mean real world (motion) 1080p.
»www.hometheatermag.com/images/ar···Vrez.jpg
Keep in mind I would still rather have a 1080p TV vs a 1080i set. but when it comes to 720p vs 1080p the issue gets a little more complicated. For source material I would still invest in 1080p if I'm owning the material (Blu-Ray for example) but for a rental it's another issue and 720p is okay for me at least until TVs get a little better. |
|
alchav
join:2002-05-17
Palm Desert, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
|  reply to Dogfather
The only thing that AppleTV does is wet people's appetite to play Movies on a Network. Apple products are all about Apple, and this is fine for The Company, but people want more flexibility to watch, store, and play on what ever they want. Just like with Music, remember when the 8 Track or Cassette were invented, you could record what ever song or mix you wanted. This is what people want now with the Movies, the ability to record and play when ever they want on what ever they want. |
|
Titus Pullo
I came, I saw, I slept
join:2004-06-26 | reply to Count Zero
Re: Old saying
Relative [LY] speaking, of course 
--
If sh*t could sh*t it would smell like American politics |
|
